5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creative

5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creative5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creativeIf you are ever faced with the feeling that all your creative juices have dried up, there is one question and one question only you need to ask yourselfWho are you studying?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI am such a believer of input and its role in staying creative over long periods of time.Do you know why you feel so inspired after seeing live music?Or going to the theater?Or watching a really great movie?Its because you are allowing yourself to take in, instead of being in output mode.And if you stay in output mode too long, thats when the infamous writers block appears.1. You arent making time for inputLike I said above, if you arent constantly studying your craft and learning from others, where on earth do you think all your brilliance is going to come from?Your desk?In yo ur empty apartment?You have to, have to, have to make time to not only study the work of others, but also to take a break from focusing on output.Its just like going to the gym. You cant lift weights for 10 hours straight without eating.In fact, eating is the most important part2. You arent sleepingTrust me, I know that sometimes sleep deprivation can lead to some pretty incredible a-ha moments - like a vision quest in the desert, or something - but 99.8 percent of the time, sleep is your best friend.And more than that, its not just about sleep, but allowing your brain a gelegenheit to rest. Again, this goes back to always being in output mode.You have to allow your engine a chance to cool down.3. You arent surrounded by creative peopleYou are the product of the environment that surrounds you.You are influenced by those around you.You are inspired by those around you.You learn from those around you.Environment plays such a monumental role in our development as human beings.If you want to be truly creative, you need to be surrounded by others who are also creative in their own ways, and will push you outside your conventional patterns of thought.4. You arent mastering your emotions - your emotions are mastering you.At first, I was going to say, You are not in a positive place emotionally, but some of the worlds greatest art has come from tragedy and heartbreak.I think a more true statement, when it comes to creativity, is to be aware of how you feel and to use that as inspiration.It is one thing to be depressed.It is entirely another to know you are depressed, witness that emotion, and then transmute it into something incredible.That is, and should always be, the goal.5. You arent practicing.And finally, the simplest but most easily forgotten habit of all, the importance of practice.You might be naturally creative, but if you arent actively practicing, that muscle will become weak. Oddly enough, you will mucksmuschenstill hold yourself to the same standard y ou once performed at, but will not be able to replicate the same success because you arent practicing.Creativity is a skill.It must be practiced, diligently and with focus, in order to be honed and cultivated.This article originally appeared on Inc Magazine.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people